The successful drowning of local and state government

31 States Project Revenue Shortfalls for FY 2012
(States Continue to Feel Recession's Impact,
Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, June 27, 2012)

In 2001, a gentleman by the name of Grover Norquist (the titular head of Americans for Tax Reform) once (in)famously quipped that his quarter-century goal, which he described as "reasonable," was to "get government down to the size where [conservatives could] drown it in the bathtub." In furtherance of that (ig)noble goal, ATF sponsors and, to date, nearly 500 legislators holding federal office in the United States, have signed the "Taxpayer Protection Pledge." This pledge commits them to refuse under all circumstances to vote for any tax increase of any kind unless it is offset by an equal tax cut. Ever.

Since Norquist let us all in on his destitute government wet dream in 2001, folks have at least tried to be vigilant in documenting the shrinking boundaries of the federal government's fisc. Unfortunately, by focusing on the feds, we missed the Norquist ball soaring over our heads into the net, scoring (if something dramatic does not change pretty damned soon) the game-winning goal of drowning "the government"'by destroying the ability of state and local governments to provide for their citizenry.
Few, however, have noticed.

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